The forgotten element: : Why do we ignore calcium in otolith studies?
(2025) In Fisheries Research 283.- Abstract
Typical analyses of otolith microchemistry use calcium, a major constituent, as an internal standard, setting its value as a constant and ignoring any potential variations. In fact, patterns do occur in otolith Ca deposition, as can be observed either by repeating the analysis, by creating two-dimensional maps of Ca, or both. Here we present evidence of Ca variations in fish otoliths from analyses using synchrotron-based scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). 2-D maps of otoliths created with LA-ICP-MS indicate that Ca is elevated where especially Zn and P are low, and vice versa, suggesting that spatial variations in protein... (More)
Typical analyses of otolith microchemistry use calcium, a major constituent, as an internal standard, setting its value as a constant and ignoring any potential variations. In fact, patterns do occur in otolith Ca deposition, as can be observed either by repeating the analysis, by creating two-dimensional maps of Ca, or both. Here we present evidence of Ca variations in fish otoliths from analyses using synchrotron-based scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). 2-D maps of otoliths created with LA-ICP-MS indicate that Ca is elevated where especially Zn and P are low, and vice versa, suggesting that spatial variations in protein deposition may affect concentrations of Ca. We encourage others to examine Ca concentrations in their biomineralized samples to check for variations, using LA-ICP-MS and other methods.
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- author
- Limburg, Karin E. ; Heimbrand, Yvette ; Hüssy, Karin ; Blass, Martina ; Thomas, Jay B. ; Mäkinen, Katja and Næraa, Tomas LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- 2-D elemental mapping, Calcium, Internal standard, Multiple analytical approaches
- in
- Fisheries Research
- volume
- 283
- article number
- 107297
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85217794376
- ISSN
- 0165-7836
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107297
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- edff1d57-4700-4842-a558-96f705d7c238
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-19 11:16:11
- date last changed
- 2025-06-19 11:36:49
@article{edff1d57-4700-4842-a558-96f705d7c238,
abstract = {{<p>Typical analyses of otolith microchemistry use calcium, a major constituent, as an internal standard, setting its value as a constant and ignoring any potential variations. In fact, patterns do occur in otolith Ca deposition, as can be observed either by repeating the analysis, by creating two-dimensional maps of Ca, or both. Here we present evidence of Ca variations in fish otoliths from analyses using synchrotron-based scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). 2-D maps of otoliths created with LA-ICP-MS indicate that Ca is elevated where especially Zn and P are low, and vice versa, suggesting that spatial variations in protein deposition may affect concentrations of Ca. We encourage others to examine Ca concentrations in their biomineralized samples to check for variations, using LA-ICP-MS and other methods.</p>}},
author = {{Limburg, Karin E. and Heimbrand, Yvette and Hüssy, Karin and Blass, Martina and Thomas, Jay B. and Mäkinen, Katja and Næraa, Tomas}},
issn = {{0165-7836}},
keywords = {{2-D elemental mapping; Calcium; Internal standard; Multiple analytical approaches}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Fisheries Research}},
title = {{The forgotten element: : Why do we ignore calcium in otolith studies?}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107297}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107297}},
volume = {{283}},
year = {{2025}},
}